handsandfeet

Welp

I don't work in a hotel but I did work for Priceline's sister company for a while.

I think that the experience can vary based on hotel. Some hotels just toss you into their arrivals list and don't give a shit how/where you booked. Others will give you a mediocre room because you're not priority. I doubt it's anything personal, it's just the way their system is set up.

Also, after working for said sister company, I always recommend that people book through hotels directly. If you're doing that, the odds of you being overbooked/getting a shitty room/dealing with unnecessary bullshit substantially decreases. AND! If you found a lower rate on a third party site and it's a reputable hotel, chances are you can call them and they'll do a price match for you.